D’ ONOFRIO, BENJAMIN R.

Funeral services took place July 31 for noted philanthropist Benjamin R. D’Onofrio of Middletown, N.J and Palm Beach, Fla. He passed away peacefully on July 27 at the age of 82, after a valiant two-year battle against lung cancer. Ben was surrounded by his partner, Morgan E. Cline; his dear friend and protege, Terry Walsh; his family members; and other close friends.
Born on Staten Island, Ben attended Curtis High School on Staten Island and the Academy of Advanced Traffic in New York City. He began a career in warehousing at Pouch Terminal on Staten Island, where he was vice president of sales for 12 years. Ben then moved on to become president and CEO of three corporations: Fidelity Storage & Distribution, Bond Warehouse and Bond Trucking, all based in north/central New Jersey. He was widely acknowledged as an industry leader and served on several industry group boards, as well as president of the official Warehousing Association of New York and New Jersey. Ben retired to his homes in Middletown and Palm Beach a few years ago.
Before moving to Middletown, Ben lived in Hoboken for 25 years where he was broadly involved in the social, political and cultural revival of that city. It was during this time that he and his partner began a real estate venture that would flourish as they moved into both commercial and residential real estate development.
During his years in Middletown, Ben was a generous contributor to various projects and charities, most notably the Annual Cancer Ball for the American Cancer Society. This event, attended by 650 to 800 people each year, was held at Ben and Morgan’s Riverwind estate for the last 11 consecutive years. In addition to the Cancer Ball, Ben co-hosted the American Heart Association’s Annual Charity Ball and the VNA’s Kiddie Fair for the past several years, both also at Riverwind.
Ben’s charitable giving also extended to include significant contributions to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and to the Monmouth Medical Center in West Long Branch. The donation to MMC was dedicated to the hospital’s emergency department, and in appreciation of this extraordinary gift, the hospital named its emergency department the Cline-D’Onofrio Emergency Services Pavilion.
Ben also recently instituted an annual scholarship to be given to a deserving Curtis High School senior of second-generation Italian heritage who is college-bound. To date, two such scholarships have been awarded.
In addition, Ben made a series of significant gifts to the Silver Mount Cemetery in Staten Island for the purposes of helping to refurbish sections of the cemetery and to upgrade its infrastructure.
Ben had several great loves in his life: first and foremost his beloved partner of 52 years, Morgan E. Cline; their faithful dogs, Gus, the Bassett hound, and Corgies, Charlie I, II and III; their beloved estate, Riverwind, with its esteemed collection of fine period furniture and its sweeping views of the Navesink River and its rolling pastures dotted with black-and-white cattle; their annual, spectacularly festive Christmas party, celebrated with a beautiful classical musical interlude followed by a delicious feast; their Palm Beach penthouse high above the ocean, with its panoramic views of the sun and sand he adored; and their trips around the U.S. and abroad, which occupied a good portion of his adult life. And last, but by no means least, Ben loved an evening spent at home with good friends, enjoying vodka martinis and eating the wonderful Italian dinners (Ben’s skills in the kitchen were legend) that were his specialty.
Ben was predeceased by five sisters: Stella Donlan, Mary Russo, Josie Ropke, Helen Piccirillo and Rose Lambert, and three brothers: Patrick, Michael and William. He is survived by his partner of 52 years, Morgan E. Cline; his dear friend and protege, Terry Walsh, his brother, John Merino of Staten Island; three nephews and six nieces, including the Hon. Helene Donlan Sacco and Maureen Palumba of Staten Island; and numerous grandnephews and grandnieces. Services arranged by the Casey Funeral Home, Staten Island.